Small diameter pipes and conduits require support such as vertical or horizontal support. For example, Dura-pex™ polyethylene pipes with copper transition fittings attached to the ends of the pipes; the pipes are frequently tied to vertical sewage vents using duct tape. The relatively heavy copper transition fittings cause the ends of the plastic pipes to droop thereby inducing stress in the pipes.
Some plumbers simply shim and tape lines in position. While effective in the short term, such an approach is not durable and will often allow pipe movement resulting in rattling and clanging pipes within the wall as the fresh water faucet is turned on and off.
In other instances pipe-fitting contractors tie off pipes, such as plastic pipes, to a water manifold in an attempt to provide support to the pipes (or conduits). Such attempts at supporting conduits 130 places an undesirable load on the water manifold 150 possibly leading to undesirable consequences such as cracks in what should be water tight joints. Thus, there is a need for a device that does not require a water manifold to act as a support for pipes and conduits.
On construction sites trenches are frequently dug for laying pipes and conduits. Typically, a relatively large diameter pipe is laid in a trench and one or more smaller diameter pipes or conduits are laid horizontally alongside and approximately parallel to the large diameter pipe. Duct tape or ties are often used to attach the smaller diameter pipes and conduits to the larger diameter pipe. The trenches are then filled in with earth or concrete. Pipes or conduits that are improperly attached to the larger diameter pipe might move when the trench is refilled with earth (or concrete). Also, ties are sometimes made of a dissimilar material such as metal that might damage or stress the smaller diameter pipes, particularly if they are made of plastic or metal that is dissimilar to the tie metal. Thus, there is a need for a device for attaching small diameter pipes to larger diameter pipes that decreases the likelihood of damage to the smaller diameter pipes and conduits.
Senninger (U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,880, issued May 16, 2000) noted that in installing plumbing lines it is important to secure fresh water supply lines in position against movement at the time of installing the roughed-in plumbing. This not only prevents movement of the lines when pouring light weight concrete around them or installing drywall along the wall studs, but also prevents subsequent movement and pipe rattling when operating a faucet to which the lines are connected.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,545 issued May 28, 1968 to Patten, describes a hanging apparatus for supporting a pair of suspended conduits in predetermined relation to a self-supported conduit consisting of a ring clamp with flanges spaced and joined by a fastener for selective securement along the self-supported conduit, a pair of ears on the ring clamp each having a pair of projections extending outwardly and joined at the extremities by a facing plate, and yokes selectively rotatably aligned with and attached to each of the ears and having arcuate offsets for engaging the suspended conduits, shanks extending from one extremity of the arcuate offsets and joined by a base, offset flanges at the other extremity of each of the arcuate offsets and spaced and joined by a fastener, and the facing plates of the years and the bases of the yokes being joined by the fasteners. The '545 apparatus is particularly suited for suspending a pair of conduits in predetermined relation to a self-supported conduit. However, there are instances where more than two conduits need to be suspended in predetermined relation to a self-supported conduit. Thus, there is a need for an apparatus that is adapted to suspend more than two conduits in predetermined relation to a self-supported conduit.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,303,887 issued Apr. 19, 1994 to Hasty, deceased, et al, describes a universal pipe support and hanger system comprising a single support member of generally I-shaped cross-section elongated in a first direction between a proximate end and a distal end, and comprising an elongated central web integrally connected with midpoints of first and second flanges extending substantially at right angles to the web, in a second direction. The proximate end has an L-shaped flange for mounting the single support member against a flat surface or a DMV in at least two orthogonal directions. Upper and lower edges of each flange comprise v-shaped cradles to support pipes extending in a third direction. A plurality of septa extend between opposed inner surfaces of said first and second flanges, on either side of the web, so as to define compartments. A plurality of mounting devices, including a novel preloaded small pipe strap, are adapted to frictionally engage a pair of septa and remain slightly in the web when mounting pipes of varying outer diameters, against one or more of said v-shaped cradles. The '887 universal pipe support and hanger system is typically attached to a pipe at a single point along each pipe's length.
Pipefix™ is used in lavatory rough-ins. The Pipefix™ holds and aligns ½″ and ¾″ supply lines to a waste pipe. Only 3½″ of wall clearance is required to mount the Pipefix™. The Pipefix™ comprises a support that is pre-slotted to hold apart 4″, 6″, and/or 8″ piping. The Pipefix™ attaches to 1⅜″ through 6⅝″ O.D. vent or waste piping by means of a stainless steel band. The Pipefix™ comes in two material options: A-503 Polystyrene (yellow in color) and A-603 ABS (orange in color). The Pipefix™ relies on a fixed waste pipe to align other pipes.
U.S. Publication Number 2003/0108130 A1 published Jun. 12, 2003 to Tucker, describes an apparatus for supporting the pipes of a plumbing system during the construction of a cement building structure. The '130 apparatus is attachable at one end to a form board and at another end to a pipe. The '130 apparatus attaches to one point along a pipe's length making the '130 device unsuitable for maintaining pipe alignment during a concrete pour.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,880 issued May 16, 2000 to Senninger, describes a fastener for securing one or more water supply lines to a pipe, such as a drain or vent pipe. The fastener includes a first resilient clamping element for engaging the pipe and a second resilient clamping element for engaging the water line. The second resilient clamping elements may be unitary with the first resilient clamping elements or selectively connected together by means of a connector. The elements of the '880 device are made of a resilient plastic material such as polyvinyl chloride, CPVC, or ABS by means of injection molding. While the '880 device has a role to play in securing one or more water supply lines to a pipe, such as a drain or vent pipe, the '880 device is not sufficiently rigid to prevent pipe work moving out of alignment during a concrete pour operation.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus an apparatus solving the aforementioned problems is desired.